The Bargaining
by Inkprincess31
Summary: In the end, it all goes down to one question. "I've already told you before, sweetheart. All you have to do is ask." One-shot. Begins at prom and works its way to the finale.
1. Chapter 1

_**The Bargaining**_

_Hi! I just have to get this out of my head. This is my version of the rest of the season. After all, a fangirl can dream. And write fan fiction too! This is unbeta'd but I hope you guys will like it. The line in italics are either memories or thoughts._

_Disclaimer: I have a copy of John Green's The Fault In Our Stars, an A Walk To Remember DVD somewhere around the house and a black and orange Furby. But nope, I don't own The Vampire Diaries._

_**At the right place, at the right time, two roads intertwine.**_

Oh what she wouldn't give for a pin right now. The blonde baby vampire was not counting on it but she would love to know, in a room full of people, is it truly possible to hear the proverbial pin drop?

The entire gym was engulfed in eerie silence. If not for the beating hearts that her revamped hearing could pick up, Caroline would swear that she is alone and the glammed up prom population was just a figment of her imagination – and a wild one, if the eternally seventeen-year-old girl may add.

Someone might as well press pause. The announcement rendered everyone immobile. Clearly, nobody anticipated this turn of events and it seems that her recently "switched-off" best friend was the least expecting it. As if someone pushed the play button, their muffled state was broken by the applause a certain Salvatore initiated. The perfectly constructed smile was wiped off the Petrova doppelganger's face just as the look of disbelief on the thousand year old original was replaced with a smile that, Caroline thought, when harnessed properly could potentially cure cancer.

Nobody anticipated this turn of events, except for two people. Seeing Elena's annoyed face as she left the table she shared with the other members of the cheerleading squad made the younger Salvatore's little mind-trick worth it in Caroline's books.

She stayed long enough to beam at Matt as he passed the table she is sharing with Stefan and Bonnie for the evening, on his way to escort Rebekah towards the make-shift stage the prom committee decorated. Then she reached for her phone and the sterling silver purse that she didn't intend to bring for the occasion until the last-minute, when a black box with a golden bow foiled her plan to attend the senior prom wearing her Mystic Falls High cheerleading uniform and go Bring It On: All Or Nothing on her very considerate best friend. The thought made her cringe now that her mind is functioning more properly. The repercussions of such an embarrassing act would be the death of her, had she not been for more than a year now.

"I'll go look for her," Caroline told the young witch and the brooding vampire. "She'll be even more pissed if she discovers the little trick you played." That immediately prevented Stefan from protesting. "And you," Caroline's face softened as she gazed at her other best friend. "You're not leaving this party. Someone has to stay for the three of us." She winked at a smiling Bonnie then set off to look for the other girl.

About fifteen minutes later, a massive amount of regret for buying the pair of feet-terrorizing heels and an "I can't find her" text waiting to be sent, a voice pierced the Thursday night.

"I heard Tyler dropped by."

The cold detached voice led Caroline to the sight of her best friend sitting on top of the bleachers overlooking the football field, who seemed to be bored out of her mind.

_Great. She probably enjoyed watching you run around like a headless chicken._

Caroline mentally berated herself while walking towards the bleachers. Tired of the irritating games Elena's playing, Caroline threw caution to the wind and climbed to the top seats in inhuman speed then sat beside the impassive girl wearing the dress that Caroline saved up for since the beginning of senior year.

_Oh my God Care! That dress is destined to be worn by Caroline Forbes._

Staring at the vast nothingness of the field, she was forced to remember the unexpected reunion that just occurred hours prior. "He did," she meekly replied.

_When did you… How? You're here!_

Imagine her surprise when the young hybrid suddenly showed up outside the gym behind a couple of seniors who just handed their tickets. He pulled her beside the huge truck that carried the equipment the catering team unloaded earlier, a determined look on his face.

_Listen to me Care. I met a friend of Uncle Mason in Florida…_

It's like the world around them stopped. Her mind was reeling from Tyler's sudden appearance. Prom doesn't matter anymore. Tyler's here, unscathed. Alive. She was consumed with relief. It was only when he mentioned about having curling irons already covered that Caroline's focus returned to reality.

_We're leaving now Care._

And it hit her hard.

_I don't… Tyler, I can't. _

_I can't leave my Mom…_

_Bonnie, Stefan, Elena, Matt… Everyone's here._

_My life is here._

"I didn't see him," Elena said, her words laced with curiosity.

_He is here!_

She closed her eyes trying to suppress the tears that are threatening to fall.

_Now or never Care._

"He left," she answered Elena's unspoken question. Then she added as an afterthought, "For good."

Elena tilted her head then looked Caroline straight in the eye. "Perfect! Now you're free to act on your dirty thoughts about a certain Original. "

Caroline wasn't expecting comfort, because that's a stretch given the circumstances. Perhaps, just silence - after all, it is therapeutic. She decided to ignore Elena and gathered a fistful of the lower part of the gown (tripping on it is unacceptable), which mysteriously appeared wrapped in a box inside her room, just as she resigned herself to the cruel fate of not attending the prom she organized, wearing the gorgeous dress she made googly eyes with for months. The mystery's immediately solved when she remembered that this is the second time, and probably not the last, a divine dress made its way on top of her bed.

_Is that our thing?_

It appears she has a certain hybrid to thank. The thought prompted tonight's first genuine smile from the blonde vampire. She stood up ready to descend the steel structure but the next words that came out of the other girl's mouth froze her on the spot.

"Too bad it took you long enough... Unlike Hayley."

Well she certainly didn't expect that.

"And don't worry about my sources. Rebekah and Stefan are reliable," Elena promised.

_Of course they are. Of course he did. Of course._

She suddenly had the urge to take off the stunning gown she's wearing and return it to the oh so generous original – preferably torn to shreds. But Caroline tried to stop the onslaught of emotions she'd rather not identify (thank you very much). She's contemplating on sitting the overwhelming news down, maybe sort out her thoughts first.

_Tyler and I just technically broke up four hours ago!_

She felt the air shift and not even a second later she's looking at the Salvatore brothers.

"Great. You're both here. I'm going home." Caroline pushed her way between the two vampires and walked down the bleacher stairs.

"Sweet dreams Care bear!" Elena yelled mockingly.

"Don't stay too long. It's quite bitchy outside." And as her feet reached the ground, she glanced over her shoulder and looked back at the three vampires. "I mean chilly." That earned her a laugh from the older Salvatore.

_At least someone's having a good time._

**.: The Vampire Diaries :.**

Blame it on over-confidence or maybe his non-existent luck, for all he knows it's just a myth. Everything's going smoothly. They've been doing it for three days already, for crying out loud. Can you blame him?

"She's not answering my call." His younger brother's worried face greeted him after he closed the door that leads to the cellar.

"Lock me in a basement for three days, get me high on vervain and low on human blood and I won't answer your call too," Damon replied. "Also, I'd snap your neck," he added as he headed straight for the bar to pour himself a glass of bourbon.

_Or ten._

"Did we even give her complementary booze?" Damon asked before downing his drink.

"I'm going to call Caroline and Bonnie," Stefan informed him, ignoring his question. "They could help us locate Elena."

"Don't. Let the girls take their beauty rest. I'm sure she hasn't gotten that far yet." Damon downed his drink and fetched his keys. "Not to mention Barbie and Judgey won't be too ecstatic with our friendtervention," he told his younger brother while heading straight to the door with Stefan in tow. Before Damon's hand touch the doorknob his phone rang and seeing the name on the screen, he answered immediately. "Liz! What can I do for you?"

"Mind explaining to me why there's a bunch of teenagers here in the cemetery?" Liz inquired.

Stefan pinched the bridge of his nose upon hearing the sheriff's question while Damon's eyes narrowed and his jaw dropped, both brothers coming to the same conclusion.

"Pre-graduation party? We'll be there in a bit Liz." Damon ended the call and sped towards his car.

Loud pop music invaded their ears as they weaved through the throng of teenagers dancing and playing tonsil hockey in the middle of the small town's only cemetery. Come to think of it, the place looks like a club, what with the glow sticks, booze and huge crowd - the tombstones are the ones looking out of place. Suddenly, a strong grip on his left arm pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Do you smell that?" Stefan asked Damon.

"Cheap liquor and sex? Sure," he answered nonchalantly. The grip on his arm loosened and just like that, Stefan's gone. It only took him a few seconds to realize what bothered his brother's nostrils. He raced after Stefan and found himself in a dark, grimy mausoleum. "Don't tell me your ripper tendencies are kicking-"

Nothing prepared Damon for the scene unfolding in front of his eyes.

"What did you do?" He felt himself going numb, his shoulders dropping - for a moment he thought he was in shock. Then Damon remembered that he's a vampire and so he rushed to the body, bit his wrist and shoved it to the woman's mouth.

"I was hungry." Despite struggling to free herself from Stefan's firm grasp, Elena replied coolly like it's the most natural thing in the world.

_Because it is, even for their kind._

"There's nothing you could do. She's already-" left with no choice, Stefan snapped the neck of the woman they both love.

"I think now's the time to call Barbie, baby brother."

Seconds, minutes, hours… He's not aware how much time they spent sitting on the floor of the abandoned mausoleum, listening to the distant echoes of the party music and staring at the two lifeless bodies lying on the floor, waiting.

_One will wake up…_

"I got here as soon as…"

_The other won't…_

"Mom?"

Stefan rose from his seat and moved fast ready to console the young vampire but she pushed him away.

"No, no… Mommy!" Caroline dropped on her knees beside the dead sheriff and forced her bleeding wrist to her mother's lips praying that the supernatural blood will do its magic. She was too absorbed in the ghastly sight to notice the two brothers standing like statues uncertain of what to do next, and the other body lying on the ground.

"Caroline, I already -" Damon started but the blonde vampire cut him off. "Did you try to give her blood? Did you call 911?" Caroline asked desperately. "Bonnie! I should call Bonnie," she told herself, her voice with a trace of hope, and fished her phone from her pocket, ignoring the resigned look on their faces.

"Bonnie shouldn't be doing magic -" again, Caroline didn't let him finish.

"She brought Jeremy back, remember? She's done it before. She can help my mom," She tried to convince them determinedly, dialling her witch friend's number. Stefan took the phone from her hands. "Caroline she shouldn't be doing magic now. You know that. Silas's darkness is consuming her. " Stefan was doing his best to act calmly knowing that the shock will wear off at some point and his friend's world will start to crumble.

"Silas! I helped complete the triangle. Maybe -"

"Caroline there's nothing we can do," Damon realizing the dangerous path her thoughts are leading to quickly interrupted. The young vampire was obviously grasping at straws.

_Life takes, no questions asked. It doesn't bother with pleasantries._

"There has to be something!" Caroline frantically yelled, tears flowing freely on her face. "She can't… She's not supposed to go anywhere. She can't die! She's my mother! " She took her lifeless mother into her arms, cradling the head of the woman who stuck with her in spite of everything that happened. "There has to be something, anything." she whispered, hugging her dead mother's frail body closer. Stefan brought the devastated vampire in his arms wishing that somehow he can take the pain away. Seeing his strong friend, the one who loyally remained on his side, looking so feeble broke his heart.

_That's how life operates, how it treats everyone._

The older Salvatore saw the exact moment the young vampire gave up the fight. It was unnerving to watch the hope abandoning her eyes. It reminded him of the not so distant past, when he was the one responsible for that similar look on her face. From the corner of his eye, he noticed the other body lying on the floor begin to stir.

Damon would give anything for a wooden stake right now. If not to drive it through his chest for coming up with another fucked-up plan, then to drive it through her heart.

To end the misery of the blonde baby vampire he has a hand in creating.

**.: The Vampire Diaries :.**

What wouldn't he give for a bottle of scotch. He cannot remember the last time he attended an event as mundane as a high school graduation. Klaus spent his miserable existence running from his father's wrath with his siblings, granted some of them were lying indisposed in coffins on more than one occasion, but he never considered himself pathetically foolish enough to voluntarily spend an hour of his infinite time on Earth watching silly humans rejoice over attaining mediocre (at best) education, as if the sliver of knowledge they acquired will be enough to conquer the world. He huffed in annoyance.

_They're in for a colossal surprise. Peasants._

He scanned the crowd looking for the familiar face that might help him endure the despicable afternoon but after seeing his sister speaking with his former comrade, his doppelganger surrounded by potential snacks and a terrifyingly large number of robe-donning kids that, in his humble opinion, are leaving the four corners of the high school prematurely, he decided to postpone the search. It doesn't matter where they are or how many people are around. The blonde baby vampire's mere presence never fails to capture his attention. Their paths will cross, he's absolutely certain. It is inevitable.

_Drawn like a moth to a flame._

Klaus aimed his sights on the series of vacant black chairs on both sides of a dark-haired vampire who seems to have vervain coursing through his veins instead of blood, judging from the discomfort apparent on his face.

_Ah. Misery loves company after all._

"You don't look so thrilled mate," Klaus observed. "Is Stefan not graduating with flying colors this year?" He settled on the right side of the older Salvatore brother, providing him a great view of the aisle the students will march through. Not that his excellent vision can't see the stage clearly, but still.

"Welcome home honey," the vampire replied nonchalantly.

The hybrid's face grimaced after being reminded of the painstakingly awful trip he has undertaken. A week wasted on negotiating with judgmental witches, locating double-crossing vampires and constantly arguing with his siblings made him miss the wretched small town in Virginia terribly. For someone like the original hybrid who roamed the world for centuries, that's saying something. Needless to say, his trip to New Orleans was futile. In fact, too unsuccessful that he needs to return to the French Quarter immediately. But not before he sees _her _again.

"Keep the enthusiasm to a minimum Salvatore. We don't want anyone thinking you missed me now, do we?" Klaus replied while going through the messages on his phone. Damon, however, ignored him and preferred to talk to the man asking him if the seat on his left is already taken.

"Which one is yours?" The man asked while Klaus reads a certain blonde baby vampire's text for the thousandth time.

_It's beautiful. Thank you. _

The message was dated almost a week ago, a day after prom if he's not mistaken, the same morning his sister arrived in the lavish hotel in Louisiana demanding for the room with the better view, which unfortunately for her he's currently occupying.

_I'm paying for this penthouse suite Rebekah._

She didn't reply to any messages he sent after that. Not that there are a lot.

"The blonde brooding gentleman over there. My baby brother." Damon's overflowing fake pride prompted a chuckle from the hybrid. "And yours?" Damon politely asked.

Klaus was preoccupied deciding whether texting, calling or compelling one of his sister's cheerleading minions to inquire after his blonde angel's well-being would least likely make him look whipped, as Kol mockingly referred to him once, when the man spoke again.

"My step daughter. I haven't seen her yet. She's not answering my calls. I dropped by their house but nobody's there so I assumed they're already here," the man replied. "Oh you probably know her mother! She's the town sheriff."

Klaus's undivided attention was diverted to the man who's talking to Damon and foregoing the manners he picked up through a thousand years of living, he intruded.

"Caroline."

"Steven?"

Damon glanced at him tersely. Klaus watched the different emotions that flickered through the dark-haired vampire's face.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" The brown-haired man in his mid-forties asked.

Damon returned his gaze to compel Caroline's step-father. "Graduation's over. Leave Mystic Falls. Never come back again."

To say that he was confused was a muted statement. His jaw clenched. Something is not right and no one bothered to enlighten him. If there's one thing he hates, it's being kept in the dark. Just as he was about to demand information on Caroline's whereabouts from Damon, he saw Rebekah stride towards his direction accompanied by Stefan who was dragging a very uninterested doppelganger.

"Niklaus, follow me."

"I have a private plane and a very cooperative pilot who'll be willing to fly us to Tibet if that is where you are planning to take us Rebekah." He's been following his sister's lead for a couple of minutes now, missing the start of the ceremony, their destination still unknown. It is safe to say that he's irritated to no end.

"Impatience doesn't become you Nik," Rebekah snapped back without looking at her annoyed brother.

He grabbed Rebekah's left arm and turned her around. "Unless someone begins telling me what this preposterousness is about, I might show you children, and yes that includes you Damon, how overrated patience really is," Klaus said through gritted teeth. His patience is already wearing thin and he did not find all the secrecy amusing nor did being dragged along school corridors pleasant. He's beginning to wonder why Caroline is not with the little gang of misfits, a little perplexed over her absence.

Damon who just arrived on the scene immediately opened his mouth in protest but Elena beat him to it.

"Nobody told you yet?" Elena sneered at the original hybrid.

"Restrain your paramour Salvatores or so help me, she'll be leaving the building missing a limb." Klaus can no longer hold back his exasperation. He's desperate for answers no one's giving him. Also, he doesn't appreciate being mocked, especially by a Petrova – regardless of the edition. "Desperate times, violent measures" always worked for him anyway.

"Something happened while we're in Louisiana," Rebekah began.

"You don't say, dear sister," Klaus said sardonically. Rebekah's predilection for understatements annoys him immensely.

"Sheriff Forbes is dead," Rebekah told him, in a voice so little it reminds him of the days when her sister's younger, heart still beating.

His jaw clenched. Realizing the implications of the news he asked, "Where is she?"

"Bonnie called. She asked Mayor Hopkins to drop by at Caroline's so they could drive her to the program tonight but no one's there," Stefan explained.

"When was the last time you saw her?" Klaus asked Stefan. His thoughts are racing, thinking of every possible place she could be in. That is, if she's still in Mystic Falls.

"Yesterday after the burial," Stefan answered. "She insisted she's fine and didn't want to bother anyone to take her home."

"Of course she's not alright. She just lost her mother." Everyone stared at Rebekah, surprised. "What? It's not hard to deduce." Elena snorted and Rebekah glared at the doppelganger heatedly. "Who knows if she even went home last night?" Rebekah voiced out his unspoken concern. What if she didn't? That gave her a twenty-four-hour head start. That means greater ground to cover, and with the lack of hybrids to form an efficient search party, slower turn-out of results. Well he can still call some of his trusted connections to speed up the process, a few selected vampires who already proved themselves loyal. The blonde baby vampire is someone the supernatural world won't be having the pleasure of knowing until the next century if he could help it. For some reason, she attracts a massive amount of danger (himself included) and he's absolutely certain that his enemies would be more than happy to be magnetized.

"She did. She cried herself to sleep. Slept like a baby, obviously exhausted. She woke up at noon. I only left because I thought she'll be preparing for graduation."

Klaus definitely did not expect that from the older Salvatore.

"You followed her?"

_Nor did Stefan, it appears._

"Don't act so surprised brother." Damon straightened up from his leaning position against the white wall. "I'm her sire. Liz is a friend… Was." Everyone remained silent. "And Barbie still keeps her window open," Damon added, wiggling his eyebrows.

Klaus narrowed his eyes on the dark-haired vampire, trying to make sense of what he's insinuating. Meanwhile, Damon was glaring openly on the Petrova doppelganger.

_Something is amiss._

"What are you not telling me? Spit it out." Klaus harshly ordered the small group, tired of waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Well aren't you gonna ask me how Liz tasted?"

**.: The Vampire Diaries :.**

"What is he doing here?" Bonnie asked Stefan, her eyes glaring daggers on the Original hybrid who walked inside her best friend's home as if he owns the place, followed by Damon, Rebekah and an indifferent Elena.

Klaus pressed his palms together and met Bonnie's intense stare evenly. "The better question witch would be, what are you _not_ doing?" He cannot believe that the powerful Bennett descendant is just sitting idly, completely contented at sending him a scowl when she could have began the search for Caroline ages ago. "A simple locator spell could have resolved this issue, child's play for a witch of your lineage. So do tell why am I not seeing candles lit and perhaps, Caroline's hairbrush so we can all get this over with." The young witch just glowered at him even more so Klaus took the liberty to dash around the house opening drawers here and there. He returned in the Forbes' den in a matter of seconds, a vanilla scented candle on his left hand, a purple hairbrush on his right and a condescending smirk on his face.

"There, unless you still need a matchbox or a lighter." Klaus dropped the candle and brush on the coffee table then reached inside his pocket, took out a white gold luxury lighter he purchased during a trip in France and tossed it to the witch's direction. "Have at it." He noticed the Scooby gang looking at the witch warily. He schooled his face to the dominant alpha look that he used on famous kings and generals to do his bidding and commanded, "Begin."

"Hold your horses _mate._" Damon told the impatient hybrid. "Bonnie here can't channel her inner Sabrina. Her powers seem to be bound to Silas. It's too risky. " Damon explained to the now seething Original.

"Your point being?" Klaus retorted, still keeping his gaze on the young witch. Damon raised his hands and shrugged his shoulders as if telling them that he tried.

"Of course you don't get it. If it was up to you, I would have died in the hands of the twelve witches I don't even remember meeting," Bonnie told him irately.

"Luckily, Bonnie love, this isn't about me. This is about Caroline, who if I recall correctly, went against her morals and killed twelve witches to spare the life of a friend, who at the moment can't return the favor and do a simple spell to find her," he reasoned with the Bennett witch furiously.

"Calm down Nik." Rebekah told his brother, who most likely is ten seconds away from acting like a raging lunatic.

Klaus tried to control his temper. He cannot fathom the absurdity of the situation. It's just a simple spell. Surely Silas, whoever he's wearing right now, won't even bat an eyelash at a spell so trivial. True, Klaus has a lot of covens at his disposal. But why bother with them when he's here facing the most formidable of them all, sitting on the missing vampire's sofa. Not to mention, all the resources the witch needs is readily available, an advantage his coven of witches residing outside this godforsaken town don't have. When he managed to reign in his temper, he looked the Bennett witch in the eye and said, "Do it. For her." He was hoping against hope that no one, especially the Salvatore brothers, took notice of how he practically begged the young witch, nor the fact that he was really close to going down on his knees. Although he did plan to hold the doppelganger's heart hostage before it comes to that.

"I need a map," Bonnie said sheepishly.

Stefan sped around the house and returned a couple of seconds later with a stack of maps from the study. "Don't you need the blood of someone related to her? Won't it be easier that way?" Stefan inquired.

"How insensitive Stefan." Rebekah said while inspecting her nails.

"Could you use mine?" Damon asked Bonnie.

"I can try. You guys must have a connection, somehow," Bonnie said while clearing the coffee table and unfolding the map.

"Oh there's a connection, alright." Elena snorted haughtily. "Tell me Damon, who assigned you as Caroline's keeper? What's with the caring act?"

Klaus and Rebekah listened closely, not knowing what the doppelganger is pertaining to while Stefan sighed and sat beside Bonnie who ignored the drama. Damon however, Klaus noticed, is sending a warning glare to Elena, which she blatantly disregarded.

"You think that's enough to erase all the compulsion and biting and whatever kinky stuff you did to her? Please," Elena continued patronizingly. "Tell you what, let's get out of here. I can think of a better way to spend graduation night."

"Enough Elena." Damon groaned.

"You did what?" Klaus hissed, in a voice cold enough to send chills down the spine of everyone present. He then went straight for the older Salvatore's neck and slammed him on the wall effortlessly. He can feel the intense fury enveloping his body as the veins under his eyes appeared and both pairs of his fangs elongated.

"Klaus!" Stefan stood up from his seat.

"Nik now is not the right time to discuss this," Rebekah told her brother while glowering at Elena.

"Me and Barbie? That was a long time ago." Damon struggled to say while being choked by the original.

"Mark my words Salvatore. Once I've ensured Caroline's safety, you and I will have a little talk." Klaus's hands are itching to go down the dark-haired vampire's chest and rip out his heart.

"It's a date then," Damon gasped.

Now he knows the reason behind Caroline's strange aversion to the standard vampire lifestyle. She could have the world at her fingertips. But evidently, Damon's recklessness deterred that potential.

_You've done so much worse._

Still fuming, he released Damon from his vicelike grip. If only he had the time to dig a grave and bury the wanker alive. He's aware he's done a thousand more despicable things but after knowing that Caroline, the only person capable of lighting up his dark and dismal existence, went through something atrocious made him want to burn Mystic Falls to the ground and shove its ashes down the lowlife Salvatore's throat. But still, he must keep his priorities in check.

"Winter is coming Bonnie. You might want to hurry up." He shifted his attention to the young witch.

"Look Klaus. She's trying. I'll try to call Caroline again. Maybe she'll answer this time."

Unsurprisingly, they heard a ringing several feet from the living room. Klaus saw the doppelganger flash towards Caroline's bedroom and came out seconds later holding the humming device.

"Well that explains it," Damon said while perusing the framed pictures in the living room as if the past couple of minutes didn't happen.

Klaus returned his gaze on the witch who's working on the locator spell. "Excellent Bonnie! You lit the candle. Now on to the vital part, if you don't mind." The witch just glared at him.

"Caroline left. She'll come back when she wants to. I'm sure Hayley will be more than willing to keep you distracted tonight so let's all just call it a day," Elena stood up preparing to leave.

Klaus was caught off guard by what the doppelganger said. He noticed Damon's eyebrow rose, looking at him questioningly. Meanwhile Stefan was looking at his shoes interestingly, while Rebekah was looking everywhere but him.

_Of course. Unbelievable._

"Come on! When Caroline realizes she's too blonde to take over the world, she'll be back." Elena was sashaying towards the door when Klaus appeared in front of her.

"I cannot decide whether I loathe you more as a human or as a vampire," Klaus told Elena. "I don't care if your switch is flipped, you should be smart enough not to get on the wrong side of the person who could reverse your little situation."

Elena realizing what he's planning to do tried to flash outside the house, away from the hybrid but obviously he is faster. "With or without humanity, you should know where your loyalty lies, doppelganger." Klaus stared straight at Elena's brown orbs and hissed, "Turn. It. On."

Everyone else was stunned. They silently watched the compulsion take effect and suddenly they heard a thud and saw Elena drop to her knees. Damon flashed right in front of her and gathered the shocked Elena in his arms.

"No! Don't touch me! How could you Damon? You made me do this?" Elena cried and pushed him away. Damon looked at his younger brother, not knowing what to do. Stefan rose from his seat and helped Elena stand up.

Klaus, feeling no remorse for the doppelganger, just sneered.

"So, where were we?"

**.: The Vampire Diaries :.**

It was close to midnight but there was no progress with the spell. Elena was sobbing in the kitchen alternately saying "Oh God" and "I'm sorry", remembering the things she had done while Stefan stayed beside the distraught girl trying to comfort her. Damon sat on the couch nursing a glass of wine he found hidden inside the study an hour ago while Rebekah is trying to watch Stefan and Elena discreetly.

"You are holding back," Klaus told the struggling witch.

"Not everyone enjoys being consumed by dark magic," Bonnie replied exasperatedly. She wanted to help her friend badly but the dreadful ramifications of the last time she meddled with the dark arts remain embedded in her mind. She's afraid that even with the tiniest bit of magic, she might lose herself and this time, there is no going back.

Klaus just scoffed. The infinitesimal amount of patience he had left his body a few hours ago and now he just wants to drain someone. The lack of progress is truly aggravating.

_If you want something done…_

Realizing that he's just wasting his time staying inside the house waiting, he grabbed his jacket, which was draped over the couch, and was heading out when they all heard a knock. He immediately raced towards the door and opened it only to see Caroline's stepfather.

"Do you practice Bill's anti-compulsion technique too, or am I just really losing my touch?" Damon questioned the man standing outside the former sheriff's home.

"I don't. I drink vervain with my coffee," Steven informed them nervously. "Where are they? What's going on?"

Klaus motioned for his sister to come over and said, "I know you struck a deal with Elijah so I reckon you're staying here." His little sister just rolled her eyes as a retort. He then turned to Steven, "This is my sister Rebekah. She'll tell you everything you want to know about this predicament." After making the necessary introductions, he excused himself and left.

Damon sent one longing look to Elena, who's still leaning towards Stefan much to his and Rebekah's chagrin, and ran after the original hybrid. "Not so fast! I'm coming with you."

"Just stay out of my way Salvatore," Klaus warned him.

They've checked almost every corner of the small town – the square, the Grill, the movie house upon Damon's suggestion, they even went back to the school but the blonde baby vampire was too difficult to find.

"We should totally check the mall. What? Ever heard of retail therapy? She could have compelled them to stay open." Klaus simply stared daggers at him, effectively shutting down his recommendation. They were just about to leave the cemetery, after checking the abandoned mausoleum where the sheriff died as well as her still fresh grave, when Damon received a call from Stefan.

"The woods," Damon said. "It's not much but that's less ground to cover."

"Some witch you've got," Klaus replied before speeding off to the direction of the forest.

Upon reaching the dark expanse that is the woods in the eastern part of the town, Klaus have calmed down considerably. He was a bit apprehensive earlier since there's a huge possibility that the young vampire they were looking for was already out of Virginia, or worse, in the face of danger. With the state she is currently in, the original is less confident that she can put up a good fight. Now however, he knows that she's somewhere closer. The idea of seeing Caroline soon soothed his distraught mind. There's still a huge land to cover but Klaus is convinced that it is only a matter of time before he finds Caroline. With their supernatural abilities, "a matter of time" could be just a few minutes from now.

Damon, already exhausted from all the drama and running decided to make things easier. "Barbie! Game over! We're gonna crown you queen of hide and seek now!" Too busy chuckling at his own joke, he didn't notice the original beside him breaking a branch from a nearby tree. "Come on Blon- Ah! What the fuck?" Damon found himself pinned on a tree with a thick branch rammed in his guts. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Consider that a prelude to our talk Salvatore," Klaus replied without sparing the vampire a look. Instead he continued walking, listening for anything that could give the young blonde's location away.

"Thanks dick! This is John Varvatos." Damon yelled, while pulling the wood out. Still pissed, he threw the wood to the ground while his right hand tried smoothing the ruined shirt. He halted his movements when something on the ground caught his eye. "No way Blondie," Damon sighed. "We might have a little situation, your highness."

Klaus turned to see what was wrong. He saw Damon kneeling on the ground picking up something he can't see clearly until the moonlight hit it. He immediately recognized the ring and flashed towards Damon.

"The girl's got a death wish," Damon frowned. "What now?"

_There's a whole world out there…_

"We find her and bring her back. " Klaus was dead serious, no pun intended. "Take that with you. Make sure she wears it before sunrise." He turned back to the direction he came from. "Or that would be the last you'll ever witness," he added as an afterthought.

"Divide and conquer then. What if you find her first?"

Klaus looked over his shoulder, sent the vampire a knowing smirk and then sped away.

"That wasn't creepy at all," Damon declared before speeding off towards the opposite direction.

**.: The Vampire Diaries :.**

Klaus was not certain what led his feet to the falls - the intense roar as it descends, all mighty and powerful or the familiar comfort that envelops him whenever he sees the allure of the cascading waters. His mind instantaneously ceased from wondering when he saw her standing at the edge, gloriously bathed in moonlight. He stayed there for a while, a mere observant to the marvel that is Caroline Forbes, humbled by the light and beauty she exudes. He felt all the tension left his body. The sight of her safe and sound relieved him immensely. He doesn't understand the emotions just the proximity of her alone can rouse in him but he's not going to question it, for now. After a few minutes or so, he decided to make his presence known.

"I must have drawn this falls a thousand times when I was human."

"You're back," Caroline said a few moments later, her voice void of any emotion that can further clue him in to the height of her distress.

"You Mystic Falls residents flatter me." Klaus stepped forward, approaching her. "Had I known that I will be missed terribly I would have returned sooner." He waited for the sardonic remark, but not even a scoff came out of the young vampire's lips. He released a deep sigh, pushed himself forward and stood beside her, watching as the water surged downward. A moment later he heard her ask, "Was it always this beautiful? The falls, I mean."

He discreetly looked at his wristwatch. After seeing there's still sufficient time before sunrise, he decided to humor the young vampire for a bit, letting go of the questions lingering at the tip of his tongue.

"The one thing in this town that never changed," he answered. "It's precisely the way I remember it."

"Do you used to go to this place a lot?" Caroline asked, looking at Klaus for the first time in days. "Back when you were human," she added hesitantly.

"A lot?" Klaus smirked at her. This place used to be his safe haven. There was a faraway look in his eyes, a smile starting to tug on his lips. "When I was younger, I stayed here for three straight days, not going home. You see, Kol broke this wooden sword I received for my seventh birthday. I was furious. I remember taking care of that sword thoroughly. It was one of the things I valued most. He was younger so Mikael and Esther took his side," Klaus reminisced. "Not that I recall Mikael ever taking my side. I was nine then, if my memory serves me correctly."

"Who gave you the sword?" Klaus heard Caroline ask a couple of seconds later, curiosity taking the best of her. Happy to keep her attention from her present woes, he answered, "A man from a nearby village, I think. Forgive me sweetheart it seems my true age has finally caught up with me. I don't remember him quite well anymore." That earned him a small giggle from the vampire. Had the circumstances been different, he would find it hilarious. Tonight he is the distraction – _her _distraction to be exact_. _The irony was not lost on him.

Caroline remained still, alone in her thoughts for a few minutes, then she asked, "You said you were nine. What about food? And sleeping?" Klaus smiled. Such compassion from someone so young is remarkable. Here he is standing beside her, the devil incarnate - strong and powerful, but she still seems worried for the nine-year-old Niklaus, a little boy that belongs to the past. He finds it endearing.

"Well it is a good thing then that I have a responsible brother." He chuckled. "Elijah brought me food, change of clothes, a blanket." Klaus told her. "Fortunately, it was spring and not extremely cold. I stayed under the shade of a huge oak tree that stood right there centuries ago." He pointed to a not too distant spot to Caroline. "A few shrubs grow right there as well as a small patch of tiny purple flowers."

A few minutes have passed, both of them enjoying the comfortable silence, before Caroline looked at the hybrid standing beside her and spoke again. "That was boring." It took her by surprise when he started laughing. He looked so normal and carefree. She saw warmth and fondness in his eyes as he continued the story. "Elijah kept me company. He took some charcoal and some parchment with him." Klaus returned his gaze to the cascading waters. "While I was honing my drawing skills, lost in my own world, Elijah was crafting a wooden sword to replace the broken one."

Caroline smiled, thinking of a young Klaus and Elijah. "I'm having a hard time imagining your brother sans the suit. Seriously." The hybrid beside her chuckled. They stayed that way for a time, the noise from the water falling over the edge the only sound greeting their ears. She observed the thousand year old original who seemed to be on his own world, probably reminiscing about the very distant past. Yes she was astonished with how forthcoming Klaus was about his human life, but she was also glad that he was taking her advice about connecting with people. Caroline remembered the extravagant ball the Mikaelsons held in their mansion.

_It seems like a lifetime ago. _

Meanwhile, Klaus was thinking of the same thing. He was never a generous man. He doesn't give without taking. He doesn't share without expecting something in return. But for some reason, the young vampire is messing with his entire being. He can't remember the last person he shared his story with.

_Because there is no one. _

They stood there on the edge of the cliff in silence. For how long he's not sure, but Klaus decided that it's time to face reality. "I heard about your mother," he said somberly.

_I heard about your father._

He patiently waited for her to say something, anything but Caroline stayed silent. He doesn't know what to do, unsure what would be the right thing to say. Klaus is out of his depth. He has never dealt with loss accordingly. Other times, he simply didn't deal with it at all. He's contemplating on just dropping the subject when Caroline asked, "When was the last time you've been here?"

Klaus stared at her in confusion, unsure where she's going with the question, nevertheless he answered her inquiry. "A few days after my youngest brother passed away," he told her. "I yelled. I screamed. I was livid. I wanted the world to hear my anger, my pain." Klaus returned his gaze to the sky and whispered, "I wanted to tell him how sorry I am." It was unsettling to see the powerful hybrid seem so fragile, so human. Caroline was at a loss for words so instead she just returned the favor and told him, "I was with my Mom. It was after she and Dad got divorced." Klaus listened attentively, glad that she didn't shut him down like the last time when her father died. "We used to go here when I was a kid. Daddy will set up the tent while Mom and I roast marshmallows. We watched the stars before we sleep," Caroline continued, her voice almost breaking. "Last time we were here, I was so mad at her, I didn't talk to her. We didn't have s'mores, we didn't gaze at the stars."

_And she tried so hard._

An excruciating sensation that shouldn't be there seemed to be lodged in his chest. It pains him to see her hurt. Klaus saw the light within the blonde baby vampire gradually dim, a huge contrast to the horizon that is now gaining a brighter color. Light.

"I failed her. She wasn't supposed to die. I should have been there. I should have saved her." He saw the tears pool in her eyes. Before she went home after the funeral, she knew that she will be going home alone. No one's gonna wait for her. She thought she was ready and refused Stefan's offer to drive her back and stay with her. When she opened the door it all came crashing down in waves. Everyone else is gone. She is completely alone, in an empty home. She rushed to her room and cried herself to sleep; hoping that when she wakes up, it was all just a bad dream and her mom is in the kitchen heating takeout food. "I didn't even get the chance to say I'm sorry, that I love her so much. I wanted her to know. I wanted her to hear."

"Then scream Caroline," he whispered.

"What if she doesn't hear me?" Caroline asked Klaus meekly. "Sometimes even I don't hear myself anymore."

"I'll scream with you."

The tears flowed freely on her cheeks. Whenever she was about to go off the edge, her friends always pulled her back. It was constant. Although fortunate to have them, at some point Caroline realized that she probably needs to go off the deep end - to be lost - in order to rise and return again. Sadly, no one would take the plunge with her. They won't brave the darkness for her. Nobody will go through all of it with her. But Klaus is different.

_Maybe I'm not alone after all._

Klaus moved in front of Caroline, turning around, his back facing the slowly waking sun making sure that his frame shielded the crying girl. "Hey, hey. It's not your fault." His right hand raised her chin and he looked straight at her tear-filled eyes. "It was completely out of your control Caroline," he reassured her.

"She wasn't supposed to die," Caroline whispered softly.

"No she was not," Klaus agreed. "But you're also not supposed to beat yourself up over it," he told her. "You did not wish for it to happen. Hell, you never knew it would happen. Do not put the blame on yourself, love." Klaus was a little taken aback by what he just said. It was the same words his siblings repeatedly tell him over the centuries, that Henrik's death was not his fault. Through his blonde angel, he finally understood what they were trying to say all these years. He would have dwelled on his thoughts a bit more but he remembered the time and the fact that the blonde baby vampire in front of him wasn't wearing her ring. It would have been easy to just snap her neck, carry her and run back to her house. But after everything that he discovered the night before, he decided that he won't force her to do anything she doesn't want. He will not take her freedom from her hands.

So he did the rightful thing to do, wiped the tears on her face and told her, "Let's get you home."

Caroline noticed the sun rising little by little, the bright colors spreading throughout the sky. Then she looked at the man standing in front of her, keeping her safe from the sun's wrath. "I don't want to go home."

Klaus nodded in understanding. He removed his gentle hold on the young vampire's arms and took out the necklaces hiding beneath his shirt, his eyes never leaving her blue ones. He then took off a silver chain, a wolf pendant hanging on it and clasped the necklace around the young vampire's neck. He watched her in her element – daylight. Although Caroline looked glorious bathed in moonlight, it would never compare to the sight of her radiant like the sun.

"Then you won't," Klaus told her firmly. "I've already told you before, sweetheart. All you have to do is ask."

Caroline took the wolf pendant on her fingers and noticed a familiar pair of blue stones encrusted on the wolf's eyes. She remembered throwing her old Lapis Lazuli on her way to the falls with full intent to watch her last sunrise in a place filled with happy memories of her family. She looked at the sky and saw it was already lit by the sun.

_It's me. It's okay, you're safe._

A new day has come. Another tear escaped her eyes as she said the three words that will change her life forever. "Take me away." It was neither a demand nor a polite request. It was a plea.

She sounded so broken and defeated and the unfamiliar ache inside his chest intensified. Klaus leaned forward, his forehead touching hers. "Alright then Caroline."

Right at that moment, Klaus vowed that he would give everything he has just to see the light return in her eyes. He would do anything in his power, even crawl his way through hell and back just to keep this promise. He will bring _her_ back.

"You're coming with me."

_**Then know wherever you will be, so too shall I be.**_

_You made it 'til the finish line! And no I don't want Liz to die! My brain just can't come up with a worse scenario that would push Caroline to leave. This is my first fan fiction ever. So thank you so much for reading it. I apologize for any grammar mistakes, TVD witchcraft inaccuracies, oh and the OOC-ness. I swear I tried! Also I wanted this published before TVD because I had prom included and as you have noticed, it was not 4x19 compliant. Also, CW released a certain teaser for a potential spinoff. Needless to say, I abused the repeat button._

_The lyrics as well as the line "I'll scream with you" is from the song You'll Be Safe Here by Rivermaya, who favorited my #NowPlaying tweet while I was writing this. "Winter is coming" is from GOT and the lighter I was referring to is an S.T. Dupont Ligne 2 Champagne. I researched that! Can you believe that there's a lighter worth 79,000 dollars? There are also loads of Lapis Lazuli wolf pendants and I was planning to use that for a different story that I probably won't write anyway so I figured, why not? Also, everybody loves necklace porn. Don't even try to deny it.  
_

_P.S. Klaus and Marcel! Double damn, right?  
_


	2. What Is This Sorcery?

**What Is This Sorcery?**

September is a glorious month for us Klaroline fans! Why? Because first, it's the month before October (Ha!) and as we all know, our favorite vampires, werewolves, hybrids, witches and humans (Hey Matt! Hi Jer!) will be returning on October 3. Yes fellow fangirls! The wait is almost over! And second, the 2013 Klaroline Awards is happening this month!

In line with this event, I am super happy to share that this story, The Bargaining has been nominated in… Wait for it… Not only one but two categories in this year's Klaroline Awards! Wow. The Bargaining is nominated for _**Best Debut Fiction**_ and _**Best Romance Oneshot**_. Again, wow. So with all due respect… And love and rainbows and cupcakes and unicorns and candy sprinkles, WHAT THE HELL IS THIS SORCERY?

Just the fact that people, Klaroline shippers like me, read this story is a huge thing for me already. Hell, when I received reviews the feeling is already out of this world. And of course, to be recognized by the Klaroline fandom is an absolute honor. But you guys, two categories? This is crazy! In a good way!

Whoever nominated this story, thank you. It means a lot to me that you appreciate this fan fiction so much – enough to nominate it. That's really sweet of you and I don't think I can thank you enough.

And I know I've written this months ago and I've sent the reviewers my thanks already but allow me to take this opportunity to thank everyone who took the time to read my first (and hopefully not the last) story here in FFN. I value those follows, favorites and reviews as a writer. Your love and support means a lot to me.

Also, some of you are requesting for another chapter but as of this moment I really have no plans to continue. But, I'm not closing any doors for a continuation! It's just that my muse fled to New Orleans to make sure that although Klaus and Caroline are apart, She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Dignified-With-A-Surname is keeping her claws to herself, far from our precious Niklaus, and any other Original for that matter (cough… Elijah… cough). Although, I have my mind set on another oneshot. Haha! Yep. Without spoiling the story, the night of the season finale isn't the last time Klaus and Caroline saw each other… And nope. It's neither in Mystic Falls nor in New Orleans. The good news is I already have a title! The not-so-good news is, I don't know if I can put it in paper before October 3… I don't know when my muse will return but yes I already have a title. Haha! Is that progress already? It will be called **_The Fear You Won't Fall_**, inspired by Joshua Radin's song with the same title. I highly recommend that you guys listen to it. I can already see Klaus and Caroline dancing to that song.

Anyway, I won't be encouraging you to vote for this story because number one, it's against the rules and number two, I voted for the other stories too. What? I nominated those stories! Haha! But I am encouraging you to join the fun and vote for your favorites at _**klarolineawardsDOTtumblrDOTcom** _and be a part of this awesome experience. No worries Tumblr-less people like me, we're allowed to enter their fangtastic world. And please send those amazing people behind this some love. They deserve all the love in the world for giving us Klaroline feels and keeping us united, despite the hiatus and our OTP's status right now. I mean, you don't know what hardcore shipping truly means until ½ of your OTP gets shipped to another show, right? I feel you PLL fans. Is it the year of spin-offs or what?

If you have any questions or anything to tell me, you'll probably reach me faster on Twitter at _** JustMeJoycey**_. Shameless, I know. I think I'm a little red in the cheeks right now. But I have a valid reason! Although my FFN account is connected to my email, I rarely open it… I know, I know it's 2013. Exhibit A, I just read the Klaroline Awards message today. Exhibit B, it's lounging in my inbox since last Monday. And I just realized, exhibit C, I still haven't replied to that PM yet! But anyway, Twitter is a fun place to fangirl too. Shameless… Shameless…

Lastly, I apologize to you guys. You probably thought this is an update. So sorry but I can't resist the urge to share this happy news. Again, thank you everyone. Hopefully we'll be in touch again in another story. Will you guys wait for my next story? However long it takes? See what I did there? Sorry I just had to include that lovely line. Have an amazing month everyone!

Maraming Salamat! :))

Joycey


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